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CNN Live Today

High-Profile Iraqi Female Prisoner Not Released; D.C.-Bound Plane Diverted Yesterday; Asimo the Robot

Aired September 22, 2004 - 10:28   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Let's take a look at the stories that are now in the news.
The suburban Atlanta family of Jack Hensley says it has received confirmation that a headless body found in Baghdad is indeed that of the hostage's. The Associated Press reports that U.S. officials told the family this morning. Hensley is the second of three Western contractors seized last week who have been beheaded. The fate of the third hostage at this point is unknown.

We're following breaking news from the Middle East where Israeli police say a female suicide bomber has struck near a crowded bus stop in East Jerusalem. Several casualties are reported. Police say the woman detonated her explosives near a line of buses. At least one person was killed and two others seriously wounded. Nearly a dozen others suffered lesser injuries. The explosion happened in the French Hill section of Jerusalem near the line that divides East and West Jerusalem.

A violent day across Iraq. Police recruits were the apparent target of a car bombing in Baghdad. At least seven people were killed, 47 wounded. A separate car bombing in another part of the capital wounded four U.S. soldiers. And two other U.S. soldiers died today -- one in Mosul and one outside Tikrit in northern Iraq.

And now, the prison abuse scandal in Iraq. A military judge in the U.S. has recommended that Private First Class Lynndie England face a court martial for her role in the mistreatment. The judge also noted that the 21-year-old was, quote, "easily led and heavily influenced by boyfriend Charles Graner, Jr." He is charged in the case and is said to be the father of the child that England is now carrying.

Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf addresses the U.N. General Assembly at the top of the hour. Mr. Musharraf had a meeting with President Bush earlier this morning. A U.S. official says the president suggested Pakistan should move forward with Democratic institutions. Mr. Musharraf has recently given mixed signals about whether he'll give up his separate role as the chief of the army.

Well, a look into the situation in Iraq now, where officials there are reportedly stepping back from an announcement released of a high-profile Iraqi female prisoner. But the Associated Press reports that release still might come later.

At issue here, the question exactly who is in charge of prisoners inside of Iraq. Let's get more now from our Pentagon correspondent, Barbara Starr. Barbara, good morning.

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Daryn.

Well, you remember back during the war, there was the deck of cards of high-value targets. Many of those are now high-value detainees, and that group of people has been held as security detainees under the control of the United States Military in Iraq. Two of them are women.

And so, their situation now very delicate, given the fact that the kidnappers of the two Americans and the British hostage, who remains alive, have been asking -- they're demanding the release of female prisoners. These are the only two females known to be held by the United States.

A bit of confusion. All of these security detainees have been under review for possible release -- release if they're no longer considered to have valuable intelligence to share and if they have been cooperating with interrogators.

But the question on the table now: What about the fate of these two women detainees? Are they subject to early release and, in fact, would they be released, or would that be seen as caving into the demands of the kidnappers? There have been statements out of Baghdad by Iraqis that they might be released, or at least one of them might be.

U.S. officials are not ready to step up to that. They say all prisoners remain under review. They will not say whether either of these women had been earmarked for early release and whether they will be released -- Daryn?

KAGAN: Barbara, another story I'm interested in getting information on out of the Pentagon, this story that there are charges against two Army soldiers, charges of premeditated murder in Iraq.

STARR: Very little information available on that at the moment. there was a very short press release issued out of Baghdad. Indeed, two soldiers in Iraq charged with the deaths of three Iraqi detainees. The charges do include premeditated murder, obstruction of justice, and a number of other charges.

But so far, they are not saying more than that. That matter also remains under investigation -- Daryn?

KAGAN: Barbara Starr at the Pentagon. Barbara, thank you.

More now on this week's beheadings of two Western contractors and threats against a third in Baghdad. It is having a chilling effect on foreign workers there.

Our Jane Araff spoke to a Bechtel worker in Tikrit.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's scary to anybody, no question about it. We are very conservative, very careful in our security measures. And we just -- we're on Amber Alert at all time.

But anything like that, no matter what you do, has got to affect people. And it's unfortunate. It will take some time for us to get over that, and for others, as well.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: Coalition officials have repeatedly warned that attacks on foreigners are likely to increase as Iraq moves closer to elections.

Singer Yusuf Islam, once known as Cat Stevens, is scheduled to be deported from the U.S. today. Islam was removed from a diverted London to Washington flight yesterday when customs officials discovered his name was on a watch list. The U.S. official says Islam is on that list because of, quote, "known associations and financial support to organizations believed to be aiding terrorism." The United Airlines flight was diverted to Bangor, Maine, and finally arrived in Washington nearly six hours late.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They said, you know, get ready to land. And then, they said "Welcome to Bangor." And we thought they were joking. We had no idea that we had been diverted.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You've got this plane full of passengers. Everybody stayed remarkably calm. I was really kind of surprised about that, because it was a situation where you think after a while people would get a little bit edgy.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: A statement on a fan-supported Web site says that Islam's being on a watch list is certainly an error.

So, what exactly is the terror watch list? For that, let's turn to a veteran member of law enforcement, our correspondent Mike Brooks. Mike, good morning.

MIKE BROOKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Daryn.

KAGAN: How do you get on this watch list?

BROOKS: Well, basically there are two lists. And there is now at FBI Headquarters a terrorist screening center that basically is the clearing house for all of the different intelligence that comes in from all of the three-letter agencies: the CIA, DIA, NSA, FBI. And they will decide which names go on this list. They'll give the list to the Transportation Security Administration. And then, they give it to the airlines that go into their system.

Now, to get on the list, there are basically two types. You have a no-fly list and you have a selectee list. Now, the no-fly list, which he was on, is basically a direct name match. Now, selectees will take a name or a sound-alike name, because many four-part Arab names sometimes it will be just down to two -- maybe, you know, Abu Daryn, something of that nature -- and they will be under extra scrutiny, like you are if you're a normal selectee, if you buy your ticket the same day, pay cash one way.

But there -- he should not have gotten on this list, Daryn.

KAGAN: He should not.

BROOKS: He should not -- I mean, on this flight. He should be on that list, but should not have gotten on this flight.

KAGAN: Well, see, and that's my question: If you're on a no-fly list, there should be no fly. They figure it out when the plane's over the Atlantic. That doesn't do you much good.

BROOKS: Exactly. Well, he was here in the United States as early as May, and apparently was just recently put on this list. I'm hearing from an airline security source that it could be a technology problem on the other side of the ocean in London, that the United system might not have caught up with the British system there.

Whether it's just some technology glitch that his name wasn't discovered until immigration and customs enforcement people saw his name on this list and say, wait a minute. This guy is on a no-fly list. They decided to divert into Bangor. Bangor is one of the airports that -- the first one in the United States, when you're coming across the top of the Atlantic, you land there. They have FBI agents assigned there because there are so many planes diverted into Bangor, Maine.

KAGAN: Interesting. So...

BROOKS: And when you're on this no-fly list, you are definitely going to be spoken to by a member of the FBI, whether it be here or somewhere overseas with the legal attache office.

KAGAN: So, when these folks land in this plane, when it said, "Welcome to Bangor, Maine," they had no idea they'd been diverted. But you're saying it's not such a surprise. Bangor is set up for this very purpose?

BROOKS: It is. It's an international airport. They can handle things like this. And they do have FBI officials there to interview people, such as Islam, should they will diverted to the airport. But he should not have gotten on that plane.

KAGAN: On the plane. On the list, maybe.

BROOKS: On the list, but not on the plane.

KAGAN: On the plane. All right. Well, system...

BROOKS: A little glitch. Little glitch. KAGAN: All right. Thank you for that.

BROOKS: OK.

KAGAN: Mike Brooks, thank you.

Also getting word out of Jerusalem that Al-Aqsa's Martyr Brigades is now claiming responsibility for the suicide bombing that took place earlier in Jerusalem in the French Hill neighborhood.

Early word on this suicide bombing, we hear that is was a female suicide bomber, that it involved city buses, and that it was in the French Hill area of Jerusalem, and that there are many casualties. In terms of how many, still more word coming in on that. But once again, Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades claiming responsibility for the blast, taking many casualties in Jerusalem earlier today.

Late word on Wall Street trading. The day after the Federal Reserve raises short-term interest rates -- well, the Dow not very happy about that.

Also, raising eyebrows: It walks, it talks -- it is Asimo. Hello, Asimo. Yes, give me the high five there. He talks. Did you hear that?

We're going to talk about the future of robotics. We're going to visit with my new friend just ahead. It's coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(STOCK MARKET UPDATE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: You meet a lot of interesting personalities in this job. I want you to meet my newest friend. This is Asimo. He is described as the single hottest robot in existence today. Someday you might have a robot like this at home.

Yes, hi, Asimo.

They're saying might be as common as a microwave or television. For now, though, Asimo, don't take this personally, but he is described as a high-tech oddity.

In a minute or two, he's going to really show us what he can do, but first, yes. First let's check in with Daniel Sieberg for the nuts and bolts of modern robotics.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DANIEL SIEBERG, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Starting in 1970s, robotic workers became ubiquitous on assembly lines, and later, we sent them out to explore others worlds and more of our own. Robots helped doctors perform surgery, and soldiers cleared caves in Afghanistan. And on to more important matters, domestic robots can vacuum your floors, mow your lawns and even keep you company you, without messing up the carpet.

But when autonomous bots -- those are machines built to think for themselves -- attempt more complex tasks, well, that's when they run into problems. Not a single brainy bot in the DoD's million-dollar race lace last March completed the 150-mile trek through the Mojave desert. The most successful machine made it a whopping seven miles. The bottom line, robots just aren't that smart yet. Honda's Asimo can dance and kick a ball, but most of its brain power is concentrated on keeping it upright and balanced.

Balance is something we mere mortals take for granted, but it's no small feat for robotics. No, this bionic prototype won't be watching your kids any time soon. And do we even want robots to look human? Perhaps in the spirit of "Stepford Wives," in which deranged men replaced their spoused with happy homemaker bots, graduate student David Hanson has created lifelike robotic heads that resemble his girlfriend, Kristin (ph). The faces have 24 motors to generate countless expressions and cameras for eyes.

The problem here, of course, is that they can be a little creepy. So it's a debate among scientists, whether human-like bots, or if machines that mimic our mortal movements put us at east, but the end of the day, no matter what the robot looks like, it's promise depends on brainpower.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WILL SMITH, ACTOR: They don't get hungry. They don't sleep.

UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: I do. I have even had dreams.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SIEBERG: And the brainiest bots are still on the big screen. Daniel Sieberg, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: Well, we have a pretty cool bot with us right here in the studio.

Hello, Asimo. I was so rude before in introducing, I didn't go ahead and say hello.

So, Asimo, nice to meet you.

ASIMO, ROBOT: Hello, Daryn. Nice to meet you.

KAGAN: OK, that's just a little bit creepy, but interesting.

Asimo, if you could go ahead and show us some of the things that you can do. You have free rein of our studio here. I'm going to talk with your friend, with Steven Keeney, the Asimo project leader. Now there's no person inside of there, just reassure me of that.

STEPHEN KEENEY, ASIMO PROJECT LEADER: There is no person inside there. Asimo is the product of nearly 20 years of research and development by Honda engineers to find new forms of mobility for people. We hope that Asimo someday will be a helper to people in need, perhaps someone who's confined to a sickbed or a wheelchair.

KAGAN: I think one of the things that I found most incredible when I first came in and I first saw him, his movement. I expected it to be kind of more herky-jerky like a robot. But I'm telling you, he moves like a person.

KEENEY: Yes, Asimo uses what we call "prediction movement control." It allows Asimo to move in very a human-like way. Asimo can turn while walking, can vary the speed and the stride of its steps. It can even climb stairs with ease. It's truly an amazing piece of technology.

KAGAN: And as we get a little bit closer over here to Asimo, if he can kind of turn around, we should be clear, as amazing as he is, you don't want to show us everything -- sorry, Asimo -- because of the proprietary nature of this. But he is not doing all of this by himself; there is some helpers behind the scenes.

KEENEY: There is one person that actually controls Asimo, but that operator only initiates the command to the robot. All of the balancing, all of the walking, all of the computational ability to walk and turn is controlled within Asimo's computer itself.

KAGAN: He's showing off. He's a little show off.

KEENEY: Yeah, he's pretty good at that.

KAGAN: Yes, that's very good, Asimo.

Now, the future -- we are far away -- I'm glad you stopped by CNN, but it is a long way before I'm going to have somebody like this in my house.

KEENEY: We hope within about 10 years...

KAGAN: Ten years.

KEENEY: ... we'll see a version of Asimo maybe in an assisted living environment helping people...

KAGAN: Excellent.

KEENEY: ... but today we're on a national educational tour with Asimo starting tomorrow at Georgia Tech.

KAGAN: Asimo does the hula.

KEENEY: Asimo can do the hula. Asimo has a number of dance routines. Asimo dances much better than I do, actually. KAGAN: There is still hope for you, too, perhaps.

KEENEY: Yes, this is the disco dance. So, John Travolta, eat your heart out.

KAGAN: Yes, Excellent.

So, and you 're going around to many college campuses, trying to encourage students to study robotics.

KEENEY: Yes. Asimo is an amazing example of the potential real world applications for the various subjects that student are studying in school today. We want to encourage them to continue to study the sciences.

KAGAN: Very good. Asimo, one more time, if you can just kind of come around here, one more handshake.

KEENEY: Oh, actually...

KAGAN: No?

KEENEY: ... it's going to show you what we call a figure eight, which highlights its amazing ability to actually turn while walking. It's the only humanoid robot in the world that can actually turn and walk at the same time. Not an easy thing for a robot to do.

KAGAN: As we heard in Daniel Sieberg's report, balance is the key part of making these robots work.

KEENEY: Yes. Asimo has 26 separate servo motors that constantly balance the robot.

KAGAN: Is he bowing?

KEENEY: Yes.

KAGAN: Because he's so pleased with himself.

KEENEY: Yes, Asimo is quite a ham sometimes.

KAGAN: Very good.

Well, good luck. Yes -- oh, he's asking everybody to stand and applaud him. Good job, Asimo. We're so pleased. Clearly he's pleased with himself. Good luck with Asimo's world tour.

KEENEY: Thank you so much. It's a pleasure to be here.

KAGAN: Stephen Keeney from Honda, and Asimo team leader. And Asimo, thank you, too.

We are going to be back in a moment. Summer is over, not a moment too soon. In Utah, look at these pictures: Summer is ending on a white note.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

JACQUI JERAS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Official last day of -- yesterday may have been the official last day of summer, but it sure looked a lot more like winter in Park City, Utah. Snow coming down there. Up to 12 inches covered the Wasatch Range. Also, plenty of snow into the Colorado Rockies yesterday; 17 inches reported near Steamboat Springs.

Well, today is the official first day of fall. The Autumnal Equinox takes place at 12:25 Eastern time for today. So, about an hour-and-a-half from now.

(WEATHER REPORT)

KAGAN: All right, Jacqui. Thank you for that.

There's new research out there on extending your life. It could be as simple as eating like the Europeans do. What is so special about the Mediterranean diet?

Forecasters saying the recent rash of hurricanes may be just the beginning. Wait until you hear the weather predictions for next year? Oh, my goodness. The second hour of CNN LIVE TODAY begins right now.

Let's take a look at what is happening now in the news.

Pakistan's President General Pervez Musharraf addresses the U.N. General Assembly this hour. We're looking at a live picture from those chambers right now. Earlier this morning, he met with President Bush. Pakistan has been a crucial ally in the U.S.-led war on terror.

Uncertainty and heightened anxiety this morning over the fate of British hostage Kenneth Bigley in Iraq. Meanwhile, the family of American hostage Jack Hensley has received confirmation of his death. The latest from Iraq is just ahead.

A female suicide bomber sets off a blast near a bus in Jerusalem. Authorities say one person was killed, along with the bomber. The Al- Aqsa Martyrs Brigades claim responsibility for the attack. The group is linked to Yasser Arafat's Fatah movement.

The FCC could impose a record fine today over Janet Jackson's so- called "wardrobe malfunction" during the Super Bowl halftime show. Reuters quotes sources as saying the agency will fine 20 CBS-owned television stations $550,000. Jackson caused a stir when fellow performed Justin Timberlake ripped off part of her costume, exposing her breast.

It is coming up on 11:00 a.m. on the east coast, 8:00 a.m. on the west coast. From the CNN Center in Atlanta, good morning once again. I'm Daryn Kagan.

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Aired September 22, 2004 - 10:28   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Let's take a look at the stories that are now in the news.
The suburban Atlanta family of Jack Hensley says it has received confirmation that a headless body found in Baghdad is indeed that of the hostage's. The Associated Press reports that U.S. officials told the family this morning. Hensley is the second of three Western contractors seized last week who have been beheaded. The fate of the third hostage at this point is unknown.

We're following breaking news from the Middle East where Israeli police say a female suicide bomber has struck near a crowded bus stop in East Jerusalem. Several casualties are reported. Police say the woman detonated her explosives near a line of buses. At least one person was killed and two others seriously wounded. Nearly a dozen others suffered lesser injuries. The explosion happened in the French Hill section of Jerusalem near the line that divides East and West Jerusalem.

A violent day across Iraq. Police recruits were the apparent target of a car bombing in Baghdad. At least seven people were killed, 47 wounded. A separate car bombing in another part of the capital wounded four U.S. soldiers. And two other U.S. soldiers died today -- one in Mosul and one outside Tikrit in northern Iraq.

And now, the prison abuse scandal in Iraq. A military judge in the U.S. has recommended that Private First Class Lynndie England face a court martial for her role in the mistreatment. The judge also noted that the 21-year-old was, quote, "easily led and heavily influenced by boyfriend Charles Graner, Jr." He is charged in the case and is said to be the father of the child that England is now carrying.

Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf addresses the U.N. General Assembly at the top of the hour. Mr. Musharraf had a meeting with President Bush earlier this morning. A U.S. official says the president suggested Pakistan should move forward with Democratic institutions. Mr. Musharraf has recently given mixed signals about whether he'll give up his separate role as the chief of the army.

Well, a look into the situation in Iraq now, where officials there are reportedly stepping back from an announcement released of a high-profile Iraqi female prisoner. But the Associated Press reports that release still might come later.

At issue here, the question exactly who is in charge of prisoners inside of Iraq. Let's get more now from our Pentagon correspondent, Barbara Starr. Barbara, good morning.

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Daryn.

Well, you remember back during the war, there was the deck of cards of high-value targets. Many of those are now high-value detainees, and that group of people has been held as security detainees under the control of the United States Military in Iraq. Two of them are women.

And so, their situation now very delicate, given the fact that the kidnappers of the two Americans and the British hostage, who remains alive, have been asking -- they're demanding the release of female prisoners. These are the only two females known to be held by the United States.

A bit of confusion. All of these security detainees have been under review for possible release -- release if they're no longer considered to have valuable intelligence to share and if they have been cooperating with interrogators.

But the question on the table now: What about the fate of these two women detainees? Are they subject to early release and, in fact, would they be released, or would that be seen as caving into the demands of the kidnappers? There have been statements out of Baghdad by Iraqis that they might be released, or at least one of them might be.

U.S. officials are not ready to step up to that. They say all prisoners remain under review. They will not say whether either of these women had been earmarked for early release and whether they will be released -- Daryn?

KAGAN: Barbara, another story I'm interested in getting information on out of the Pentagon, this story that there are charges against two Army soldiers, charges of premeditated murder in Iraq.

STARR: Very little information available on that at the moment. there was a very short press release issued out of Baghdad. Indeed, two soldiers in Iraq charged with the deaths of three Iraqi detainees. The charges do include premeditated murder, obstruction of justice, and a number of other charges.

But so far, they are not saying more than that. That matter also remains under investigation -- Daryn?

KAGAN: Barbara Starr at the Pentagon. Barbara, thank you.

More now on this week's beheadings of two Western contractors and threats against a third in Baghdad. It is having a chilling effect on foreign workers there.

Our Jane Araff spoke to a Bechtel worker in Tikrit.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's scary to anybody, no question about it. We are very conservative, very careful in our security measures. And we just -- we're on Amber Alert at all time.

But anything like that, no matter what you do, has got to affect people. And it's unfortunate. It will take some time for us to get over that, and for others, as well.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: Coalition officials have repeatedly warned that attacks on foreigners are likely to increase as Iraq moves closer to elections.

Singer Yusuf Islam, once known as Cat Stevens, is scheduled to be deported from the U.S. today. Islam was removed from a diverted London to Washington flight yesterday when customs officials discovered his name was on a watch list. The U.S. official says Islam is on that list because of, quote, "known associations and financial support to organizations believed to be aiding terrorism." The United Airlines flight was diverted to Bangor, Maine, and finally arrived in Washington nearly six hours late.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They said, you know, get ready to land. And then, they said "Welcome to Bangor." And we thought they were joking. We had no idea that we had been diverted.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You've got this plane full of passengers. Everybody stayed remarkably calm. I was really kind of surprised about that, because it was a situation where you think after a while people would get a little bit edgy.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: A statement on a fan-supported Web site says that Islam's being on a watch list is certainly an error.

So, what exactly is the terror watch list? For that, let's turn to a veteran member of law enforcement, our correspondent Mike Brooks. Mike, good morning.

MIKE BROOKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Daryn.

KAGAN: How do you get on this watch list?

BROOKS: Well, basically there are two lists. And there is now at FBI Headquarters a terrorist screening center that basically is the clearing house for all of the different intelligence that comes in from all of the three-letter agencies: the CIA, DIA, NSA, FBI. And they will decide which names go on this list. They'll give the list to the Transportation Security Administration. And then, they give it to the airlines that go into their system.

Now, to get on the list, there are basically two types. You have a no-fly list and you have a selectee list. Now, the no-fly list, which he was on, is basically a direct name match. Now, selectees will take a name or a sound-alike name, because many four-part Arab names sometimes it will be just down to two -- maybe, you know, Abu Daryn, something of that nature -- and they will be under extra scrutiny, like you are if you're a normal selectee, if you buy your ticket the same day, pay cash one way.

But there -- he should not have gotten on this list, Daryn.

KAGAN: He should not.

BROOKS: He should not -- I mean, on this flight. He should be on that list, but should not have gotten on this flight.

KAGAN: Well, see, and that's my question: If you're on a no-fly list, there should be no fly. They figure it out when the plane's over the Atlantic. That doesn't do you much good.

BROOKS: Exactly. Well, he was here in the United States as early as May, and apparently was just recently put on this list. I'm hearing from an airline security source that it could be a technology problem on the other side of the ocean in London, that the United system might not have caught up with the British system there.

Whether it's just some technology glitch that his name wasn't discovered until immigration and customs enforcement people saw his name on this list and say, wait a minute. This guy is on a no-fly list. They decided to divert into Bangor. Bangor is one of the airports that -- the first one in the United States, when you're coming across the top of the Atlantic, you land there. They have FBI agents assigned there because there are so many planes diverted into Bangor, Maine.

KAGAN: Interesting. So...

BROOKS: And when you're on this no-fly list, you are definitely going to be spoken to by a member of the FBI, whether it be here or somewhere overseas with the legal attache office.

KAGAN: So, when these folks land in this plane, when it said, "Welcome to Bangor, Maine," they had no idea they'd been diverted. But you're saying it's not such a surprise. Bangor is set up for this very purpose?

BROOKS: It is. It's an international airport. They can handle things like this. And they do have FBI officials there to interview people, such as Islam, should they will diverted to the airport. But he should not have gotten on that plane.

KAGAN: On the plane. On the list, maybe.

BROOKS: On the list, but not on the plane.

KAGAN: On the plane. All right. Well, system...

BROOKS: A little glitch. Little glitch. KAGAN: All right. Thank you for that.

BROOKS: OK.

KAGAN: Mike Brooks, thank you.

Also getting word out of Jerusalem that Al-Aqsa's Martyr Brigades is now claiming responsibility for the suicide bombing that took place earlier in Jerusalem in the French Hill neighborhood.

Early word on this suicide bombing, we hear that is was a female suicide bomber, that it involved city buses, and that it was in the French Hill area of Jerusalem, and that there are many casualties. In terms of how many, still more word coming in on that. But once again, Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades claiming responsibility for the blast, taking many casualties in Jerusalem earlier today.

Late word on Wall Street trading. The day after the Federal Reserve raises short-term interest rates -- well, the Dow not very happy about that.

Also, raising eyebrows: It walks, it talks -- it is Asimo. Hello, Asimo. Yes, give me the high five there. He talks. Did you hear that?

We're going to talk about the future of robotics. We're going to visit with my new friend just ahead. It's coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(STOCK MARKET UPDATE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: You meet a lot of interesting personalities in this job. I want you to meet my newest friend. This is Asimo. He is described as the single hottest robot in existence today. Someday you might have a robot like this at home.

Yes, hi, Asimo.

They're saying might be as common as a microwave or television. For now, though, Asimo, don't take this personally, but he is described as a high-tech oddity.

In a minute or two, he's going to really show us what he can do, but first, yes. First let's check in with Daniel Sieberg for the nuts and bolts of modern robotics.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DANIEL SIEBERG, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Starting in 1970s, robotic workers became ubiquitous on assembly lines, and later, we sent them out to explore others worlds and more of our own. Robots helped doctors perform surgery, and soldiers cleared caves in Afghanistan. And on to more important matters, domestic robots can vacuum your floors, mow your lawns and even keep you company you, without messing up the carpet.

But when autonomous bots -- those are machines built to think for themselves -- attempt more complex tasks, well, that's when they run into problems. Not a single brainy bot in the DoD's million-dollar race lace last March completed the 150-mile trek through the Mojave desert. The most successful machine made it a whopping seven miles. The bottom line, robots just aren't that smart yet. Honda's Asimo can dance and kick a ball, but most of its brain power is concentrated on keeping it upright and balanced.

Balance is something we mere mortals take for granted, but it's no small feat for robotics. No, this bionic prototype won't be watching your kids any time soon. And do we even want robots to look human? Perhaps in the spirit of "Stepford Wives," in which deranged men replaced their spoused with happy homemaker bots, graduate student David Hanson has created lifelike robotic heads that resemble his girlfriend, Kristin (ph). The faces have 24 motors to generate countless expressions and cameras for eyes.

The problem here, of course, is that they can be a little creepy. So it's a debate among scientists, whether human-like bots, or if machines that mimic our mortal movements put us at east, but the end of the day, no matter what the robot looks like, it's promise depends on brainpower.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WILL SMITH, ACTOR: They don't get hungry. They don't sleep.

UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: I do. I have even had dreams.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SIEBERG: And the brainiest bots are still on the big screen. Daniel Sieberg, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: Well, we have a pretty cool bot with us right here in the studio.

Hello, Asimo. I was so rude before in introducing, I didn't go ahead and say hello.

So, Asimo, nice to meet you.

ASIMO, ROBOT: Hello, Daryn. Nice to meet you.

KAGAN: OK, that's just a little bit creepy, but interesting.

Asimo, if you could go ahead and show us some of the things that you can do. You have free rein of our studio here. I'm going to talk with your friend, with Steven Keeney, the Asimo project leader. Now there's no person inside of there, just reassure me of that.

STEPHEN KEENEY, ASIMO PROJECT LEADER: There is no person inside there. Asimo is the product of nearly 20 years of research and development by Honda engineers to find new forms of mobility for people. We hope that Asimo someday will be a helper to people in need, perhaps someone who's confined to a sickbed or a wheelchair.

KAGAN: I think one of the things that I found most incredible when I first came in and I first saw him, his movement. I expected it to be kind of more herky-jerky like a robot. But I'm telling you, he moves like a person.

KEENEY: Yes, Asimo uses what we call "prediction movement control." It allows Asimo to move in very a human-like way. Asimo can turn while walking, can vary the speed and the stride of its steps. It can even climb stairs with ease. It's truly an amazing piece of technology.

KAGAN: And as we get a little bit closer over here to Asimo, if he can kind of turn around, we should be clear, as amazing as he is, you don't want to show us everything -- sorry, Asimo -- because of the proprietary nature of this. But he is not doing all of this by himself; there is some helpers behind the scenes.

KEENEY: There is one person that actually controls Asimo, but that operator only initiates the command to the robot. All of the balancing, all of the walking, all of the computational ability to walk and turn is controlled within Asimo's computer itself.

KAGAN: He's showing off. He's a little show off.

KEENEY: Yeah, he's pretty good at that.

KAGAN: Yes, that's very good, Asimo.

Now, the future -- we are far away -- I'm glad you stopped by CNN, but it is a long way before I'm going to have somebody like this in my house.

KEENEY: We hope within about 10 years...

KAGAN: Ten years.

KEENEY: ... we'll see a version of Asimo maybe in an assisted living environment helping people...

KAGAN: Excellent.

KEENEY: ... but today we're on a national educational tour with Asimo starting tomorrow at Georgia Tech.

KAGAN: Asimo does the hula.

KEENEY: Asimo can do the hula. Asimo has a number of dance routines. Asimo dances much better than I do, actually. KAGAN: There is still hope for you, too, perhaps.

KEENEY: Yes, this is the disco dance. So, John Travolta, eat your heart out.

KAGAN: Yes, Excellent.

So, and you 're going around to many college campuses, trying to encourage students to study robotics.

KEENEY: Yes. Asimo is an amazing example of the potential real world applications for the various subjects that student are studying in school today. We want to encourage them to continue to study the sciences.

KAGAN: Very good. Asimo, one more time, if you can just kind of come around here, one more handshake.

KEENEY: Oh, actually...

KAGAN: No?

KEENEY: ... it's going to show you what we call a figure eight, which highlights its amazing ability to actually turn while walking. It's the only humanoid robot in the world that can actually turn and walk at the same time. Not an easy thing for a robot to do.

KAGAN: As we heard in Daniel Sieberg's report, balance is the key part of making these robots work.

KEENEY: Yes. Asimo has 26 separate servo motors that constantly balance the robot.

KAGAN: Is he bowing?

KEENEY: Yes.

KAGAN: Because he's so pleased with himself.

KEENEY: Yes, Asimo is quite a ham sometimes.

KAGAN: Very good.

Well, good luck. Yes -- oh, he's asking everybody to stand and applaud him. Good job, Asimo. We're so pleased. Clearly he's pleased with himself. Good luck with Asimo's world tour.

KEENEY: Thank you so much. It's a pleasure to be here.

KAGAN: Stephen Keeney from Honda, and Asimo team leader. And Asimo, thank you, too.

We are going to be back in a moment. Summer is over, not a moment too soon. In Utah, look at these pictures: Summer is ending on a white note.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

JACQUI JERAS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Official last day of -- yesterday may have been the official last day of summer, but it sure looked a lot more like winter in Park City, Utah. Snow coming down there. Up to 12 inches covered the Wasatch Range. Also, plenty of snow into the Colorado Rockies yesterday; 17 inches reported near Steamboat Springs.

Well, today is the official first day of fall. The Autumnal Equinox takes place at 12:25 Eastern time for today. So, about an hour-and-a-half from now.

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KAGAN: All right, Jacqui. Thank you for that.

There's new research out there on extending your life. It could be as simple as eating like the Europeans do. What is so special about the Mediterranean diet?

Forecasters saying the recent rash of hurricanes may be just the beginning. Wait until you hear the weather predictions for next year? Oh, my goodness. The second hour of CNN LIVE TODAY begins right now.

Let's take a look at what is happening now in the news.

Pakistan's President General Pervez Musharraf addresses the U.N. General Assembly this hour. We're looking at a live picture from those chambers right now. Earlier this morning, he met with President Bush. Pakistan has been a crucial ally in the U.S.-led war on terror.

Uncertainty and heightened anxiety this morning over the fate of British hostage Kenneth Bigley in Iraq. Meanwhile, the family of American hostage Jack Hensley has received confirmation of his death. The latest from Iraq is just ahead.

A female suicide bomber sets off a blast near a bus in Jerusalem. Authorities say one person was killed, along with the bomber. The Al- Aqsa Martyrs Brigades claim responsibility for the attack. The group is linked to Yasser Arafat's Fatah movement.

The FCC could impose a record fine today over Janet Jackson's so- called "wardrobe malfunction" during the Super Bowl halftime show. Reuters quotes sources as saying the agency will fine 20 CBS-owned television stations $550,000. Jackson caused a stir when fellow performed Justin Timberlake ripped off part of her costume, exposing her breast.

It is coming up on 11:00 a.m. on the east coast, 8:00 a.m. on the west coast. From the CNN Center in Atlanta, good morning once again. I'm Daryn Kagan.

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